65226 - Internal Medicine

Learning outcomes

Describe the pathophysiological bases of human diseases with specific emphasis on oncological, degenerative metabolic and immunological conditions, focusing on cellular and molecular etiopathogenetic mechanisms of clinical relevance; Identify pathological conditions in which biotechnological approaches are already of clinical relevance; Select and interpret information in order to collaborate with medical practitioners in designing and applying biotechnological diagnostic and therapeutic strategies; Plan, implement and develop potential applications of biotechnology in the field of Internal Medicine, in order to operate in biomedical research.

Course contents

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the pathophysiological bases of human diseases, with specific emphasis on oncological, degenerative, metabolic, and immunological conditions, focusing on clinically relevant cellular and molecular etiopathogenetic mechanisms.

• Identify pathological conditions in which biotechnological approaches have demonstrated clinical relevance.

• Select, analyze, and interpret scientific data to effectively collaborate with medical professionals in the design and application of biotechnological diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

• Plan, develop, and implement innovative biotechnological applications in the field of Internal Medicine, contributing to advancements in biomedical research.

In particular, the following topics will be discussed during the course:

• Chronic Liver Disease

• MASLD

• Gut Microbiota

• GERD & Gastritis

• Autoimmune Disease

• Celiac Disease

• Allergy

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

• COPD & Asthma

• Arterial Hypertension (HTA) 

Readings/Bibliography

1. Slides presented during lectures

2. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine 21st EditionMc Graw Hill

Teaching methods

The course is structured around a blended approach combining traditional lectures and active student participation through seminars:

• Frontal Lesson
  Each session begins with a lecture delivered by the instructor, aimed at introducing and explaining the core pathophysiological concepts and clinical relevance of the disease topic of the day.

• Seminar
  Dedicated to student-led seminars designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and in-depth analysis.

  • Format: Team-based presentations (4 students per seminar).

  • Topic: Each seminar focuses on the topic covered in the previous frontal lesson.

  • Structure:

    1. State of the Art in Medical Biotechnology – Two students present current biotechnological knowledge and advances related to the topic.

    2. Clinical or Pre-clinical Case Studies – Two students present two peer-reviewed studies, highlighting the role and impact of biotechnological applications in diagnostics or therapy.

This interactive format is designed to enhance students’ ability to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world biomedical applications and prepare them for collaborative work in interdisciplinary medical-biotechnological teams.

Assessment methods

The evaluation of the Integrated Course in Internal Medicine is based on multiple components, aimed at assessing both theoretical knowledge and its application in clinical and biotechnological contexts.

Structure of Assessment

• Module 1 → Seminar + Oral Exam

• Module 2 → Laboratory Activities (pass / no-pass)

Oral Examination

Oral exams cover content presented during frontal lectures and knowledge gained through laboratory activities. The objective is to assess the student's ability to apply acquired knowledge, reason through clinical and molecular mechanisms, and articulate insights clearly.

The final grade for the course will be the average of the scores obtained in each module. Each component is evaluated independently as described below.

In-course seminar evaluation

Seminar presentations are intended primarily as a formative activity aimed at developing skills in critical appraisal of scientific literature and scientific communication. Students will receive qualitative feedback based on their presentation and discussion of the selected article.

• Insufficient → During the oral examination, two questions will be asked, including one specifically related to the presented article, to verify adequate understanding. In this case, lode cannot be awarded.
• Adequate / Good → The seminar is considered satisfactory and has no direct impact on the range of the oral examination score. The oral examination will consist of one question. In this case, lode cannot be awarded.
• Excellent → An outstanding seminar presentation may be taken into account in the overall assessment and may contribute to the attribution of lode if the oral examination performance is also excellent.

Office hours

See the website of Federico Ravaioli

See the website of Maria Raffaella Barbaro